Flint native Mateen Cleaves to be honored for work with local youth at Boys & Girls Club dinner

View full sizeCourtesy of PRO Sports Communica Flint native and former MSU and NBA basketball player Mateen Cleaves will be honored for his work with local youth at a Boys & Girls Club dinner.

FLINT, MI -- Flint native and former Michigan State
University basketball player Mateen Cleaves will be honored during the Boys
& Girls Club of Greater Flint's 10th annual Steak Dinner on Wednesday, Oct. 3.

The dinner, presented by Quicken Loans Inc. and Fathead,
LLC, will bring in more than 300 guests to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater
Flint as Cleaves will be presented with the fifth annual Patrick McInnis
Community Hero Award during this year's ceremony, "When I Grow Up: A
Celebration of Opportunity & Achievement."

Cleaves is being honored for his dedication and support of
the youth at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint and beyond. Cleaves
excelled as a natural leader with determination, discipline and talent,
qualities that helped define his nine-year professional basketball career.

The Flint Northern graduate helped lead the Spartans to a
national championship in 2000 and was named the most outstanding player of that
year's Final Four. Cleaves was a three-time All-American, two-time Big Ten
Player of the Year and set school and conference records in career assists with
816.

Cleaves has used his celebrity to advocate for youth in the
areas of literacy, goal setting and positive attitude. He continues to set a great
example for local youth to dream big and achieve their goals. This year alone,
Cleaves has volunteered his time to help youth athletes at a basketball combine
and a football clinic at Atwood Stadium.

The Community Hero Award was established in 2008 as a way to
recognize an individual or group for a significant investment of time, talent
and treasure to youth living in Flint. The award was named in recognition of
Fathead CEO and Flint native Patrick McInnis. Past winners include the Detroit
Shock, Tom Izzo and Congressman Dale Kildee.

The dinner begins at 6 p.m. with a meal compliment of
Outback Steakhouse, a silent auction and presentations from youth members of
the Boys & Girls Club. Dinner tickets are $100 and sponsorship
opportunities are available starting at $100. For more information, visit www.bgclubflint.org or call 810-249-3452.

(Information from a press release was used for this story.)

Contact Josh at jgordon6@mlive.com
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